| Styrofoam & Plastic |
Renewable Resources |
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| Manufacturing |
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| Styrofoam |
Bagasse |
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- Polystyrene is a petroleum-based plastic, commonly called Styrofoam
- Known to cause acute health effects due to exposure during manufacturing
- Manufacturing pollutes the air (57 chemical byproducts) in addition to liquid and solid waste
- Forms tropospheric ozone -- a serious air pollutant at ground level (Earth Resource Foundation)
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- Made from 100% bio-degradable, compostable sugar cane fiber it is a by product of the sugar refining process
- Diversion of the Bagasse into the making of the tableware saves harmful air pollution from occurring due to the open burning of this formally thought of waste product from the sugar refining process
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| Plastic |
PLA Corn Plastic |
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- Consumes fossil resources (made from petroleum)
- Creates pollution
- High energy use in manufacturing (Report of Berkeley Plastics Task Force)
- Amount of petroleum used to make a plastic bag would drive a car about 11 meters
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- PLA utilizes 65 percent less fossil fuel than other polymers derived directly from hydrocarbons
- NatureWorksPLA purchases wind power to help offset their CO2 emissions at both corporate and manufacturing facilities (NatureWorksPLA)
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| Use |
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| Styrofoam |
Bagasse |
|---|
- When heated in microwave, toxic chemicals leech into food, affecting health and reproductive systems
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- Each item is pressed formed at 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees F) forming a rigid platform and sterilized piece at one time. In addition, each item is sanitized a second time utilizing UV light prior to packaging.
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| Plastic |
PLA Corn Plastic |
|---|
- Migration of polymers and additives into foods
- 230,000 plastic supermarket bags are dumped in landfills every hour (EPA)
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- PLA is the first family of polymers derived entirely from annually renewable resources with the cost and performance necessary to compete with traditional fibers and packaging materials.
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| Lifespan |
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| Styrofoam |
Bagasse |
|---|
- Each American disposes of 100 polystyrene cups per year, they have a lifespan of 500+ years (Green Seal).
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- Bagasse products will completely compost under commercial composting conditions in just 45-60 days, yet they have a shelf-life of over two years.
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| Plastic |
PLA Corn Plastic |
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- Plastics do not degrade quickly and stay in our environment between 100 years and 1000 years (Wikipedia).
- Plastic grocery bags take about 1000 years to biodegrade (Wikipedia)
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- NatureWorks has a heat tolerance of up to 110 degrees (F). These biodegradable cups will completely compost under commercial composting conditions in just 45-60 days.
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| Disposal or Waste |
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| Styrofoam |
Bagasse |
|---|
- Kekaha landfill receives about 3,591,600 pounds of Styrofoam each year (Dept of Public Works)
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- 100% bio-degradable, compostable under commercial composting conditions in just 45-60 days
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| Plastic |
PLA Corn Plastic |
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- Plastic trash has made its way to coastal ecosystems and the ocean, especially a Texas-sized floating island of plastic debris in the north Pacific gyre, swept together by ocean currents (Env. Literacy Council)
- About 100,000 whales, seals, turtles and other marine animals are killed by plastic bags each year worldwide (Planet Ark)
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- Biodegradable and compostable under commercial composting conditions in just 45-60 days
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| Post-consumer recycled paper! |
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According to dinegreen.com, every ton of 100% Post-consumer waste recycled paper products saves:
- 12 trees
- 1,087 pounds of solid waste
- 1,560 kilowatts of energy (2 months of electric power required by the average US home)
- 1,196 gallons of water
- 1,976 lbs. of greenhouse gases (1,600 miles traveled in the average US car)
- 3 cubic yards of landfill space
- 9 pounds of HAPs, VOCs, and AOXs combined
- ... and 390 gallons of oil!
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